Latch assembly for filter housing



Nov. 13, 1962 A. R. GETZIN V LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR FILTER HOUSING Filed Jan. 27, 1961 INVENTOR ALLAN R. GETZIN III! II lJ/G. 4

ATTORNEY 3,063,224 LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR FILTER HOUSING Allan R. Getzin, Jeifersontown, Ky., assignor to American Air Filter Company, Inc Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 27, 1961. Ser. No. 85,255 4 Claims. (Cl. 55-493) The present invention relates to a filter housing construction and more particularly to a latch assembly for retaining a filter cell in position in a filter housing.

In accordance with the present invention a straightforward and efficient latch assembly for filter housings is provided, the latch assembly of the present invention permitting positive locking of a cell within a housing and yet not interfering with cell insertion into the housing. In addition, the latch assembly of the present invention serves to center a filter cell in a housing during assembly operations and can be readily moved into and out of locking position with respect to filter without presenting undesirable overhanging or sharp edges which presents safety hazards.

Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides in a housing for a unit filter cell, a latch assembly for retaining a cell in position in the housing comprising: a plate member rotatably mounted to a wall of the housing, a lock-pin fixed to and extending from the plate member, the lock-pin being positioned on the plate member to be removable from the path of movement of a cell during assembly operations and movable into locking position against a side of a cell when such cell has been mounted into the housing, and stop means co-operable with the plate member when the lock-pin has been rotated into locking position against a nested cell side.

It is to be understood that various changes can be made by one skilled in the art in the arrangement, form and construction of the apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, which disclose one advantageous embodiment of the present invention:

FIGURE 1 is an overall perspective view of an openended housing arrangement including a filter cell disposed therein and locked into position by the latch assembly means of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner portion of the housing arrangement of FIGURE 1, disclosing the latch assembly of the present invention more fully;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged front view of the latch assembly disclosed in FIGURES 1 and 2; and,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side view of the latch assembly of FIGURES 1-3.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the latch assembly of the present invention is shown incorporated in open-ended housing structure 2, sized and adapted to receive a box-like filter cell 3. Mounted at each of the corners of housing 2 to maintain cell 3 in nested and locked position in housing 2 is an inventive latch assembly 4. It is to be understood that the inventive latch assembly is not limited to use with the housing and cell arrangement disclosed in FIGURE 1 but can be incorporated in various other types of filter housing and cell arrangements known in the art.

As can be seen more fully in FIGURES 2-4, latch assembly 4 includes flat plate member 6 which advantageously can be of substantially tear-drop cam shape to include stop portion 9 and which can be mounted for United States Patent ice manual rotation to one of two corners forming walls of housing 3 along the inner face thereof by means of a suitable pin 7. Pin 7 advantageously can take the form of a shouldered rivet but it is to be understood that any one of a number of other forms of known pin connections can be used. Fixed along the edge of plate 6 to extend at right angles thereto is lock-pin 8. The lock-pin 8 is so positioned adjacent the edge of plate member 6 as to be removable from the path of movement of a cell 3 during assembling operations and to be movable into locking position against the side of such a cell 3 when such cell has been mounted into nesting engagement with housing 2. Advantageously, lock-pin 8 is of rounded, smooth surfaced contour to prevent any tearing into or cutting of the cell side with which it engages.

As can be seen in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, when plate member 6 has been rotated into position to permit pin 8 to engage against a side of a cell 3, stop portion 9 of tear-shaped plate member 6 engages against the face of the other corner forming wall of housing 2 so as to stop the rotational movement of plate member 6 with lock-pin 8 in locking position against a cell side. It is to be noted that the tear-drop shape of plate member 6 also serves to avoid any sharp or jagged protruding edges on the latch assembly which would present a possible safety hazard. It also is to be noted that plate member 6 advantageously is provided with a suitable slot 11 to factilitate rotation by a suitable screwdriver or coin.

The plate member 6 can be stamped in preselected teardrop shape from any one of a number of well known metals, the plate member being of preselected thickness to engage against the cell side adjacent the housing wall and serve as a guide and centering means during cell assembly operations.

In assembly operations, it only is necessary to manually rotate such plate members so that the pins 8 are removed from the path of movement of a cell 3 to be inserted into nesting engagement with housing 2 (note the broken line 8' of FIGURE 4). A cell 3 is then slid into housing 2, the plates 6 serving as suitable cell guide and centering members. Once the cell is in properly nested position, plate members 6 can be rotated manually in reverse direction until lock-pins 8 abut against the cell side. At this point, a suitably available coin or screwdriver can be inserted into each of slots 11 of the plate members so that the lock-pins can be rotated further in the reverse direction to firmly and positively lock the cell into position, the stop portions 9 engaging against the wall face of the housing to stop movement of lock-pins 8 when they are in such firm and positively locked position.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a filter housing for a unit filter cell, a latch assembly for retaining a cell in position in said housing comprising: a plate member rotatably mounted to a wall of said housing to rotate in a plane adjacent to and parallel with said wall, a lock-pin fixed to and extending from said plate member, said lock-pin being positioned on said plate member to be removable from the path of movement of a cell during assembly operations and movable into locking position against a side of a cell when such cell is mounted into said housing, and stop means cooperable with said plate member to stop rotational movement of said plate member when said lock-pin has engaged in locking position against a nested cell side.

2. In a housing for a unit filter cell, a latch assembly for retaining a cell in position in said housing comprising a cam-shaped plate member rotatably mounted to one of two adjoining corner walls of said housing, a lockpin fixed to and extending from said plate member, said lock-pin being positioned on said plate member to be removable from the path of movement of a cell during assembly operations and movable into locking position against a side of such cell when such cell has been mounted into said housing, said cam plate member including a portion engageable against the other of said corner walls of said housing to stop rotational movement of said plate member when said lock-pin is in locking position against such cell side.

3. In a housing for a unit filter cell, a latch assembly for retaining a cell in position in said housing comprising: a fiat cam-shaped plate member rotatably mounted to one of two adjoining corner walls of said housing, a lock-pin fixed to and extending from said plate member, said lock-pin being positioned on said plate member to be removable from the path of movement of said cell during assembly operations and movable into locking position against a side of said cell when said cell has been mounted into said housing, said cam-shaped plate member being of preselected thickness to guide a cell and center such cell in position in said housing and including an end portion engageable against the other of said corner walls of said housing to stop rotational movement of said plate member when said lock-pin is in locking position against such cell side.

4. In a housing for a unit filter cell, a latch assembly for retaining a cell in position in said housing comprising a fiat plate member rotatably mounted to an inner face of a wall of said housing adjacent an opening thereof to rotate in a plane adjacent to and parallel with said wall and a lock-pin fixed to and extending from said plate member, said lock-pin being positioned on said plate member as to be removable from the path of movement of a cell during assembly operations and movable into locking position against a side of such cell when such cell has been mounted into nesting position in said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,747,364 Greene Feb. '18, 1930 1,788,171 Preble Jan. 6, 1931 2,876,924 Chrisman Mar. 10, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 737,519 France Oct. 4, 1932 821,313 Germany Nov. 15, 1951 

